Proud
by Picoroo
Summary: All the Zanpaktou's want something from their masters. Yumichika finds out what his wants from him. Oneshot


**Yay, first proper oneshot. Everytime I try to do a one shot I end up continuing it. So this one is going to stay as it is. Not only that, but this is the first time I've tried writing Ikkaku and Yumi, so forgive me if this is completely off, I've had to write this in the evenings, it's the only spare time I've got. This little plot has been rolling round and round my head, and I need to get it down, I can't concentrate at college  
**

**Anyway, this is based in the new filler arc of the Bleach anime. I seriously don't see how they're going to get through the arc without at least one person finding out about Yumi's sword, it's inevitable.  
**

**Disclaimer: ...Well, I obviously don't own Bleach, or any of the characters, or this would definately happen!

* * *

**

"Ikkaku!" His name being yelled out as a orange and black blur shot into the room made him jump out of his skin. Trying to fight down the shock of a shouting Ichigo slamming the door open and running in, Ikkaku looked up from the bed, glaring at the redhead.

"What is it now?" He asked irritably. After his cut short fight with Hozukimaru, he was forced to get a check up by the forth division. That, mixed with his Zanpaktou disappearing, and not being able to finish the fight, well, let's just say he wasn't in the best of moods.

"I know...where...he is." Ichigo panted, out of breath after running half-way across Serietei and back. "And you have to come, now."

Ikkaku didn't argue, he had already been released moments before Ichigo came barrelling in. He simply picked up his sword from the bedside table and stood up, slinging the sword over his shoulder in the usual manner. "Let's go then." He started walking forward and out the door, but Ichigo caught him by the arm.

"Before we go, there is something I think you should know. We both know what happens when you get mad. The whole blind with rage, striking out randomly thing?" Ikkaku nodded. "It's sort of your weakness." Ikkaku didn't disagree. "Well Hozukimaru has worked out something that will make you do just that."

"What do you mean?"

"Ikkaku... he's got Yumichika."

* * *

"If you want to stay alive, I'd suggest you stay quiet." Growled a voice from somewhere above him.

Yumichika wasn't in a good situation. That much was apparent. But then who could consider these circumstances particularly good. He had 'bumped' into a Zanpaktou earlier that night. He and Ikkaku had split up and he was searching on his own, when the big lug, which had turned out to be Hozukimaru, Ikkaku's Zanpaktou, had turned up and knocked him out. Just great. He wasn't entirely sure what was happening, he hadn't got a full explanation. Just something to do with fighting Ikkaku, and something about recklessness, and weaknesses. Who knows, he had only just woken up. There was a throbbing pain in his left leg, which felt as if it would have hurt a lot earlier. Most likely broken, if not, sprained. He tried to move his foot. All that came of that was a searing pain shooting up his leg, making him hiss sharply.

"Will you get off me?!" Yumichika tried to yell up at him, but all he got was a foot pressing harder on his back. '_This is ridiculous.'_ He thought with a huff, he couldn't move or speak, and breathing was becoming more and more difficult. With each passing second, the weight pressing down on his upper back was getting heavier, and it wasn't long before he was really struggling to get air into his lungs. His sword was just out of reach, and even if he tried to reach for it, the only thing that will come out of it would most likely be a broken back from the pressure from above.

His vision wavered in and out of focus as he fought to get enough oxygen into his lungs. Just as he felt himself fall into unconsciousness, another voice called out from somewhere above him.

"Now now, Hozukimaru, we don't want to kill him now do we?" It couldn't be.... "Besides, that's my job." Even in a semi-unconscious state, Yumichika could _hear_ the smirk in Ruri'iro Kujaku's voice. Before anybody else could say anything else however, the shinigami fell into unconsciousness, darkness clouding his vision.

* * *

As Ikkaku followed Ichigo over the rooftops, his mind kept replaying what the carrot-top had told him. Hozukimaru had Yumichika. He was planning to use him, to make Ikkaku mad. Who knew his Zanpaktou was this sneaky. He shouldn't have split up with Yumichika earlier, he should have kept a close eye on his friend. Yumi could take of himself, he was a brilliant fighter, that much was true, he didn't need someone watching over him all the time. But up against an opponent like Hozukimaru, he didn't stand a chance.

This was way to sneaky and clever for someone like his own Zanpaktou, he was, after all, the other half of Ikkaku, and everyone knew Ikkaku wasn't the brightest of people. That was Yumichika's forte... Unless, it wasn't _his_ own Zanpaktou who had come up with the plan...it was...Fuji Kujaku. The sneaky bastard, just like Yumi, obviously. But to do this to him, this was pretty clever, using his weakness to get him to fight recklessly and without thought. It can't work now, he hoped. So long as Yumichika wasn't hurt, he should be able to hold his fiery temper. But then on the other hand, if they hurt him, in any way, someone was going to die.

Ikkaku almost stopped at that thought. He had always been close to Yumichika, since before he could remember, when they met on the cold streets in the middle of the night. But when had his feelings for the narcissist grow to a point where he wanted to protect him from everything, to make sure he never got hurt?

He was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't see Ichigo stop and nearly ran straight past him. He backed up a few paces, before looking up at the scene Ichigo was glaring at.

Standing in front of them was a very smug looking Hozukimaru, and at his feet, was Yumichika. Relief flooded through Ikkaku when he saw Yumichika was breathing, albeit shallowly, but he wasn't dead, and he didn't seem to look hurt. Even so, his eyes narrowed, and he glared daggers at his Zanpaktou.

"Finally arrived now, have we?" Hozukimaru asked arrogantly, smirking. "Good. I need a good battle. Pretty-boy here just didn't put up much of a fight." He gestured the shinigami on the floor by his feet. Ikkaku growled, his grip on his sword tightening.

"Let him go." He snarled. This only widened the smirk on Hozukimaru's face.

"I don't see why he should." Came a haughty voice from the roof nearby. Three pairs of eyes shifted to the source of the voice. Sitting on the edge of the roof, one leg crossed over the other, and a self-satisfied grin on his face was none other than Ruri'iro Kujaku. Or Fuji Kujaku, depending on who you ask.

"You came up with this, didn't you?" Ikkaku shouted up at the feathered Zanpaktou.

"And what if I did? What are you going to do about it?" He chuckled, gracefully dropping to the ground. "You can't do anything, you move, try to attack, and...well." He gestured with one feathered arm to Hozukimaru, whose sword was back in its resealed state, and he was holding it, pointing down, above Yumichika's body, directly above his heart. "As much as I would love to do the deed myself, I'll still get to fight you. And besides, I don't want blood on me." His face morphed into a disgusted look for a split second, before changing back to his smug grin. "Especially not that bastards."

"Why you little....!" Ikkaku started, but a groan stopped him in his tracks. His eyes moved to Yumichika on the ground. He was waking up. Ikkaku's face softened slightly.

All was silent as deep violet eyes fluttered open, a quiet groan escaped the partially open mouth. The purple eyes took a while to focus, but when they did, and the shinigami looked around, his eyes immediately locked with Ikkaku's. His face immediately became one of horror and... was that fear?

"Let. Him. Go." Ikkaku spat out, his face now dark with rage.

"Why should we?" Hozukimaru grinned. Kujaku stepped forward, smirking from ear to ear.

"Kujaku, please don't." Yumichika managed to get out from behind. "I'm the one you should be fighting." He struggled to push himself up, but a searing pain in his right shoulder caused him to drop to the ground once more. He hissed out in agony as the sword was ripped violently from his shoulder. The pain made the world blur, and he could hear yelling his name somewhere distantly. '_Ikkaku' _He thought, and Ichigo it sounded like, trying to stop him.

"Ikkaku!" Ichigo yelled out, grabbing the shinigami, stopping him from charging forward. "Don't! You'll only make it worse." This seemed to calm him down slightly, but he was still seething, face dark with anger.

" Fine. But once he's out of the way, I will kill both of you for this." Ikkaku hissed.

"Ruri'-iro Ku-Kujaku." Yumichika choked out weakly. Ikkaku raised his eyebrows, wasn't his zanpaktou called...never mind, he'll ask later. The Zanpaktou in question turned to look down at his master. "Please listen to me." He attempted to get up again, and Kujaku motioned for Hozukimaru to step back. Using his left arm, Yumichika pushed himself off the ground, a bit shaky when he tried to stand, but he was determined. And stubborn.

"Don't push yourself." He heard Ikkaku murmur.

"I'm fine." Yumichika mumbled, trying to stay steady on one leg. Once he was stable, he looked up to face his Zanpaktou. "You."

"What do you want?"

"I've been thinking about this ever since this whole fiasco began. And I suppose this is a good a time as any to tell you exactly what I think of you."

"You've told me what you think of me, many times." Kujaku spat out, crossing his arms, and looking away.

"This is what I'm talking about, every time I try you get in a huff the moment I finish the first sentence, which I'll admit is never a positive one, but your mood makes mine drop and I've never finished. So this time I'm going to try it differently, and you _are _going to listen to me through to the end, got it?" He stumbled a little on his foot, catching himself before he toppled over.

"Why the hell should I? You don't know what you put me through day after day."

"Do you know what I have to go through day after day. You're a part of me. You should know too well what I'm going through. You know. I'm not ashamed of you, I never have been, you know that. But do you have any idea how hard it is? H-how hard it is when all you want is to make that one person proud, but you know, _I_ know that can't happen because of who I am, because of _what_ I am.

"You kept telling me I was afraid, and I always told you I wasn't, but I'll admit now, I am, I'm terrified. Terrified of what they'll think, of what they'll say, of what they'll _do. _I followed him through thick and thin, all the way to the eleventh division. All that training, Pushing forward day after day, year after year, to become his equal, to be as powerful as he is, and then having it all ripped away from you, gone, because of one word, one stupid word...

"Kidou. It's who I am, what I am, everything about me. And you, the most powerful and purest Kidou type Zanpaktou in existence, I'm proud of you, you're beautiful and unbelievably powerful, We both know that. And although with your full release, I don't really get to fight, But...but..." He took in a shaky breath, trying to focus on what he was saying. He glanced up at his Zanpaktou. "Well, you certainly look confused, me blurting all this out here, in front of him, but suddenly, I don't care. I really don't care anymore. All I want to do now is go to sleep, go to sleep and not wake up for a long time, when all this is over, and the world is back to how it should be. Because, by saying all this, I've probably just destroyed everything I know and love. So If you'll just excuse me, I'm starting to feel stupidly dizzy, My leg hurts, and I've lost all feeling in my left arm." And with that, eyelids fluttered closed, and he fell forwards, too weak to stay up and awake any longer.

Ikkaku darted forwards moving to catch his friend, but was beaten to it. Too his surprise, by a certain feathered spirit.

Kujaku had caught Yumichika, his other half, feathered arms wrapped tight, but not so tight he would hurt the shinigami further, around the lithe limp body.

"I'm sorry." The Zanpaktou whispered. "For not being what you want."

"It's not that." Came a quiet voice from his shoulder. "You are what I want. You're just not what..." The was a pause as Yumichika worked out how to word the next part. "You're not what everybody else wants."

"Then, perhaps you should stop doing what people want from you."

There was a weak chuckle from his shoulder. "Maybe I should."

"I'm proud of you." There was a flash of light and Yumichika found himself leaning on his sword sticking up in the dirt.

"Thanks."

"Ichigo, get him to the fourth division. I'm going to fight Hozukimaru, and as soon as Yumi's awake I'm going to ask him what the hell is going on with that sword of his." Ikkaku murmured, in a voice he hoped was low enough for Yumichika not to hear, but Ichigo clearly noticed Yumichika flinch.

Ichigo sighed. "Got it, but don't die. I'm coming right back okay? Yumichika would kill me if I let you die." He stepped forward, picking up the unconscious narcissist under the knees and back, grabbed his sword with one hand, before taking off into the night and towards the healing squad.

"Fine, but don't get in my way."

* * *

**Thanks for reading to the end, please review, reviews make a author happy ^-^' This was a break from my ongoing FFVII story 'Hold On' I will be finishing that one now, whenever I have the time. College is harder than they make out. I also have a slightly different version of this, a lot of Yumi fighting, and a lot of angst too. Leave a note in your review if you want to see and I'll type it up (It's hand written). Anyway, I really should go to sleep, it's ten past midnight and I have to get in six hours.**


End file.
